The Nurburgring Will Be Saved

Following some major mismanagement, the regional government is taking control of the famous track.

In the last few years, the Nurburgring Circuit has endured some major mismanagement. The local government leased the track and all its facilities to two German entrepreneurs. Under the Nurburgring brand they built and operated an amusement park, a conference center and even a shopping center. None of them worked out and the roller coaster was abandoned after it became rusty. There was also an accidental music festival, but what remained constant throughout was that driving enthusiasts continued to flock to the historic track.

They came only for one thing: the motor races and to lap the Nord Schleife in their private cars. And if they were paying attention, they may have noticed the considerable price hike for entry. If they inquired for the reason as to why, they might have found out that the operators had been trying to cover their losses in the amusement park business by charging higher prices for the sole reason the track even exists. How nice of them. The commercial failure of the two entrepreneurs led to the creation of the "Save the Nurburgring" movement. Its activists even demonstrated last year at the circuit during the German Grand Prix.

Now the regional government of Rheinland-Pfalz has decided to terminate the tenant agreement with the two entrepreneurs and wants to find new track operators. As this is all taking place, the government will fund the track and all facility operations. Rheinland-Pfalz is governed by a red-green coalition and the Prime Minister supported the construction of the amusement park and the leasing of the facilities to Nurburgring Betreiber automotive GmbH, the owner of the lease. Now the Prime Minister has to deal with the problems he created and the huge debts the business has accumulated.

For us drivers, however, one thing is for certain: the Hell Green will remain in operation for years to come. Automakers will be able to continue to develop and test their future models on that legendary and undulating 13.6 miles of asphalt.